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A plain red flag flown at a beach, meaning the water is closed to bathing.
Also known as: Red flag beach, Danger flag, Double red flag
A plain red flag flown at a beach means the water is dangerous and bathing and swimming are prohibited. Two red flags flown together mean the same thing more emphatically — closed, in the sense that entering the water at all is unsafe. The flags are set by the lifeguard service on the day and change with conditions, so a red flag says nothing about whether the beach is generally safe: it is a statement about this afternoon.
Means the water is dangerous and bathing is prohibited. Two red flags together carry the same message more emphatically, marking water that is closed rather than merely hazardous.
Contexts: Public information, Navigation
Is a statement about conditions on the day rather than about the beach. Lifeguards set the flags each session and change them as the sea, the tide and the weather change, so its absence yesterday says nothing about today.
Contexts: Public information, Navigation
A plain rectangular flag of a single colour, flown from a staff at the water's edge with no device or lettering on it.
One closes the water; the other marks the only patrolled part of it.
One flag within the beach flag system.